Diesel traces in tap water still worry some South Shore residents

Some residents of Montreal's South Shore say they are still wary of drinking tap water, even though officials have declared the water supply free of harmful levels of diesel contamination.

The two-day non-consumption order was lifted Friday evening, however, people were still lining up before dawn Saturday morning to pick up free bottled water being distributed throughout Longueuil.

Some complain that even after letting their taps run, they can still detect a diesel smell in the water.

Bottled water will also continue to be distributed at daycare centres and chronic-care residences until further notice.

"This water — despite possible odours, and despite the taste — is good for consumption,” said Longueuil mayor Caroline St-Hilaire.

“I would call it less of a 'crisis' than I would an ‘exceptional situation.’ It’s rare for us to see something like this.”

The water advisory was first put in place late Thursday morning — one day after 28,000 litres of diesel spilled into the St. Lawrence River due to a generator leak at a water-filtration plant in Longueuil.

City of Longueuil officials issued a non-consumption advisory in the communities of Saint-Hubert, Vieux-Longueuil, Boucherville and Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville.

Officials said citizens' tap water should taste and smell normal again over the course of the weekend, and mobile laboratories will remain in place until further notice for further sampling.